Speed-regulator system



Sept. 11, 1928. 684,077

5. A. STAEgE SPEED REGULATOR SYSTEM Filed April 12 1921 INVENTOR \Sfe bhen A. Jfa eye ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 11, 1928i UNITED ST T S STEPHENA. scrapes, 's; ir rir'rsnuaeri, rENNsrLvA'Nrm- AssieNoRi'ro westerns-HOUSE ELECTRIC a mmrac ruams .O0MIEANY,.;A, CORPORATION; or gmsyh VANLA.

n meral; aiea rii 12,1921. Serial No. 460,838.

My invention relates to s One object of my invention is to providespeed-regulator system of'thc above-midi cated character which shal beefficient in" operation and simple andincxpensive in coni struction. i

1925, is described a speed-re ulator system of; the above-indicatedfchzi fra'cter wherein each set' of rotatable'men'ibers is propelled bya variable-speed mot-or." Each rotatable member operates a frequencychanger that is electrically connected to one winding ofan auxiliaryfrequency changer. f 'lhe other winding of the. auxiliary'fi'equency'clianger is connected to frequency changer that is isadapted to supply a constant frequency. The auxiliary frequency chan e'ris, in effect,

an electric diilercntial or a difierential relay.

The present invention contemplates utiliz ingthe electric differentialto control the operation of a co-operating rotary contactor, orcommutator, and brush apparatus to 'gov-' cm the, effective value of aresistor in circuit with the propelling motor. Specifically, the presentinvention includes an independently rotated commutator cylinder and aco-operat ing. brush thatismounted upon a rack engaging with a pinion onthe shaft of the diffcrential machine. Thus, the location of the brushupon the commutator cylinder will determine the amount of time thattheresistor is included in, and excluded from the circuit of the propellingmotor. Provision is also made for preventing sparking and arcing" whenthe circuit through the commutator is opened and closed, as hereinaftermore fully described.

Reference may now. he i panying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is adiagrammatic illustrationof circuits and apparatus embodying myinvention, as applied to a plurality of rotatable members;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the rotary contactor, or comrnutator,apparatus, partly in section, in the plane indicated by the line IIII ofFig. ,1;

Fig. 3 is a development of the commutator I 32, which is mounted upon ashaft 33 of an cylinder; and

. .eld-r a f systems and ithas special relat on to systems any'suitablesource of power;

had to the accom-.

Fig. 4 is,'adet il viedjil ustiatiagui fricf tatable' members, and theillustrated f d 'pli- A set of rotating ing an armature"1'3 and afielc-rna"g'net winding 1%, through s'uita hle gearing The roll 11 drn es therotor 16 of a frequeney eh anger 17 having'a stator 18 whicli'isenergised from The rotorQo'r secondary win winding 19 of 'ahjaiixiliary,' "or second frequency changer 21. "'T he primarywindi'ng 22oftlie'second frequency changeris' elec'trically connected to "thesecondarywinding 23 of a frequency changer 24, which is common l8connected. The 'secondary winding" 23 1s adapted'to be driven from amotor 26 in any suitable or well-known manner to'sup} ply a constantfrequency to the various frequency changers. 21. A

Accordingly, so long as the frequencies ap plied to theseconda'rywinding" l9 and the primary winding 22 of the auxiliaryfrequency changer 21 are identical there will be no movement of theshaft of this frequency changer; 'Howe'ver, any variations in fro--quency between these windings will be'indicated by the rotation of theshaft 27 or the frequency'changer 21. Accordingly, this frequencychanger becomes, in' its: operation, an electrical differential machine.

Mounted upon the shaft 27 of the electric differential 21 is a pinion28, which meshes with a rack 29. Rack 29 has mounted on one end thereofa pair of brushes 31, shown in detail in F ig. 2, and which will behere- 'inafter more fully describedi Co-operat-ing with the brushes 31'is a rotary contactor drum, or commutator cylinder ically ind cated by a1:011 11, whiehis adapted to be driven by a'jpropellin motor 12,'hav-' ii 66 tipn al connection between the" shaft of "the "1 differentialmachine and tho"pinion"f gear.

wheel v I Since the apparatiis fforfleaclri nail" unit is sate; partswill 'be given like 'refer'e e, nu a jjmerals. In my prior PatentNo.,1',5'f 3,406, Sept-1,

, ling ieielc- I tr169L113 n c edto the rotor, or secondary common toall of the rotatable'members and preferably the same asthat to whichstator I auxiliary driving motor 35.- Also mounted upon the shaft 33 isa slip-ring 36, which has a brush 37 co-operating therewith, and is inelectrical engagement with the metallic portion of the commutatorcylinder 32.

Included in the circuit of the field-magnet winding 14 of the propellingmotor 12 is a resistor 38. Brush 31 is connected to one.

side ofthe resistor 38, and brush 37 is connected to the opposite sidethereof. Accordingly, when the brush 31 is in engagement with themetallic portion of the commutator cylinder 32, a shunt circuit iscompleted about the resistor 38. Y

The development of the rotarycontactor drum,or commutator cylinder, 32is indicated in Fig. 3. From this development, it will be apparent that,with the brush 31 located substantially in the central position on thecom mutat'or cylinder, as indicated in'Fig. 1, the resistor 38 .will beincluded in'the circuit of the shunt field-magnet winding 1e of the timeand excluded from the circuit fifty per bent of'the time. Hence, undernormal conditions, this position maybe assumed tobe correct formaintaining the speed of the propelling motor substantially constant, sothat the respective frequencies applied to the windings 19 and 22056 thedifferential machine 21 Will be equal.

, Since the position of the brush on the com mutator. cylinder isdetermined by the rotative movement of the shaft of the differential.

machine, every change of load on the motor to be controlled will beindicated by a different position of the brush on the commutatorc'ylinder. Consequently, the -regulating effect may be accomplished ininfinitesimal steps,

commutator. cylinder 32 has, on each side .or in larger. steps withinthe confines of the commutator cylinder, as the-case may be! Withthis'method of regulation, the speedload curve of the controlledmotorhas no droop, since the differential machine may rotate in eitherdirection and come to zero speed without returning to its initialposition. Hence, the brush 31 is maintained in its corrective positionso long as the condition which required its movement to the correctiveposition exists.

Certain of the details of the illustrated mechanism will now beconsidered. The

thereof, stop rings 39Qt0 prevent the brushes 31 from riding off thecommutator cylinder,

Since occasions may arise wherein the shaft of the-differential machine21 will have a continuing rotative movement in one direction or theother, tending .to move brush 31 beyond the limits of the commutatorcylinder 32, provision is made forpermitting the pinion 28 to slip sothat therewill be no breakingof parts when one of the stops 39 isencountered.

Such a device is indicated in Fig. 4, wherein -the pinion 28'has a disc41 pressed into engagement therewith by 'means of a spring 42,

v the metallic .which is. seated at its opposite end. against a-washer43 and'a nut. This nutis'adjustable upon the shaft 27 to regulatethe tension of the spring 12, as indicated.

The means forpreventing sparking or-arcoutof the condenser charge beforethe lead ing brush 31 again comes into-contact with portion of thecommutator cyl inder. i Q

From-,the'foregoing, it will be apparent that a commutator or; rotatingcircuit interrupterof the ,above-mdica-ted character prov1 es meansformcr'easmg or decreasing .the

value of the resistance in a motor shunt-field circuit in suchmannerthat the effective value of such res stanceiis proportionate .to theposi tion of the brush onthe commutator cylinder. The periodicitywithwhich the resistance is shunted may bejfegulated bysuitablyregulating the speed of the propelling motor for the commutatorcylinder. 1

The same-principle of speed regulation as above set forth-may ,beemployed in cases where a fly-ball governor becomes the actuating.medium for the rack ;29."'However,

thespeed-load curve ofa motor so regulated Wlll have a "droopingcharacterlstic', since Q every. speed'of the motor -wi ll have 'aIcorrespondingly. different position for the brush on thefaceifof 'thelcommutator cylinder.-

Other speed-controlled devices may also be used as the actuating meansfor-the brush. but. 7 since the'principle s of operation will be similarto those above"desoribed,.no detailed reference .thereto' will be madeherein.

Accordingly,modifications in 'the' system I and. arrangement,andlocation of parts ma} be made within the spirit and scope of myinvention, and suchimodifications are intended to be covered by theappended claims. I claim as my'invention,:-

1. Ina regulator system, the combination comprising a plurality ofrotating members,

a frequency changer operated by each of said I members, an auxiliaryfrequency-changer,

and means for controlling the speed of each rotating member, said meansbeing jointly controlled by the auxiliary frequency changer and thefrequency changer, associated with .each rotating member and including acircuit interrupter comprising a co-operating brush and commutatorde'vice.=

2. in a regulator system. the combination comprising a plurality ofrotating members, a dynam'oelectric machine operated by each member, anauxiliary dynamo-electric machine',and circuit interruptermeans forcontrolling the speed of each rotating member,

said circuit interrupter means being jointly controlled by the auxiliarymachine and the machine associated with each rotating memher andcomprising co-operating brush and commutator apparatus.

3. In a regulator system wherein a plurality of elements are required torun in fixed speed relationship and wherein a motor is arranged to driveeach of a plurality of said elements, the combination of means forcontrolling the speed of each of a plurality of said motors comprising acommutator, a brush cooperating therewith, and means for varying therelative position of said commutator and said brush comprising adifferential device provided with a winding adapted to be connected toan alternating-current source, and a common source of alternatingcurrent for supplying said alternating current windings.

4. In a speed-regulator system, the combi naion with a rotatable member,a propelling motor therefor provided with a field winding, a resistor incircuit with said field winding, a' frequency changer operated by saidmember and a second frequency changer. of a differential machine havingthe primary and secondary windings thereof respectively energized bysaid fre uency changer, a movable brush controlled by the operation ofsaid difierential machine, and an independently-rotated commutatordevice co-operating with said brush so as to control the effective valueof said resistor.

5. In a speed-regulator system, the combination with a rotatable member,a propelling motor therefor provided with a field winding, a resistor incircuit with said field winding, and a constant-speed motor, ofcircuitinterrupting a paratus adapted to control a shunt circuit or saidresistor, said apparatus comprising a commutator cylinder andco-operating brush, and means for shifting the location of said brushupon said cylindcr in accordance with variations in the relative speedsof said motors.

6. In a speed-regulator system, the combination with a constant-speedmotor and a motor to be regulated, of means for varying the excitationof the motor to be regulated comprising a co-operating commutator andbrush circuit interrupter, and means operated by said motors and adaptedto vary the action of said interrupter in accordance with variations inthe relative speeds of said motors.

7 In an electric drive wherein aplurality of elements are required torun in fixed speed relationship and wherein a motor having a fieldwinding is arranged to drive each of a plurality of said elements, thecombination of means for controlling the speed of each of a plurality ofsaid motors comprising an adjustable resistor in the circuit of thefield winding of the motor, means for varying the effective value ofsaid resistor comprising a differential device having a pair ofco-opcrating magnetic elements, means for producing a magnetic field inone of said elements and for rotatin said field in accord ance with thespeed ot the motor, and means common to the several differential devicesfor producing a rotating magnetic field in the other of said elements.

8. In a regulator system wherein a plurality of elements are required torun in fixed speed relationship and wherein a motor is arranged to driveeach of a plurality of said elements, the combination of means forcontrolling the speed of each of a pluralityof said motors, and meansfor actuating each of said speed controlling means to maintain the speedrelationship of the motors fixed comprising a. member driven by thecorresponding motor and a co-operating freely movable member providedwith awinding adapted to be connected to an alternating-current sourceand a common source ,of alternating current for supplying each of saidwindings.

9. In a regulator system wherein a plurality of elements are required torun in fixed speed relationship and wherein a motor is arranged to driveeach of a plurality of said elements, the combination of means forcontrolling the speed of each of a plurality of said motors, and meansfor controlling each of said speed controlling means to maintain thespeed relationship of the motors fixed comprising a pair of co-operatingmembers, one of said members being arranged to provide a rotatingmagnetic field and the other member being provided with a windingadapted to be connected to an alternatingcurrent source, and a commonsource of alter-- nating current for supplying said alternating currentwindings.

10. In a regulator system wherein a plurality of elements are requiredto run in fixed speed relationship and wherein a motor is arranged todrive each of a plurality of said elements, the combination of means forcontrolling the speed of each of a plurality of said motors comprising acommutator having wedge shaped conducting and non-conducting segmentsand a brush co-operating therewith to intermittently close a circuittherethrough, and means for controlling each of said speed controllinmeans to maintain the speed relationship 0% the motors fixed comprisinga device provided with a winding and arranged to be differentiallyresponsive to the eed of the corresponding motor and to the requency ofan alternating current applied to said winding, and a common source ofalternating current for supplying said windings.

11. In a regulator system wherein a plurality of elements are requiredto run 1n a fixed speed relationship and wherein a motor is arranged todrive each of a plurality of said elements, the combination of means forcontrolling the speed of each of a. plurality of member provided with awinding adapted to said motors comprising a, commutator, a be connectedto an alternating-current source, brush co-operating with saidcommutator, and a common source of alternating current 10 and means forvarying the relative position for supplying each of said windings.

' of said commutator and said brush compris- In testimony whereof, Ihave hereunto subing a. member driven by the corresponding scribed myname this 29th day of March, 1921. motor and a co-operating freelymovable STEPHEN A. STAEGE.

